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The movie " hannibal" was a complete failure so it might be uncounted . 'the red dragon "is exactly the twin of "the silence of the lamp ", it holds the same glorious reasons of smashing success the first chapter possessed . the two transcends old definitions of good and evil but they The movie " hannibal" was a complete failure so it might be uncounted . 'the red dragon "is exactly the twin of "the silence of the lamp ", it holds the same glorious reasons of smashing success the first chapter possessed . the two transcends old definitions of good and evil but they dig deeper into a more horrifying realms of the human psyche . and in this movie the spectator is as much involved with the criminal as with detective and Dr lecter in between acting the godlike connection .though it fades for some moments , yet the flame of expecting , guessing, waiting, hoping, fearing consumes from within leaving you with an exotic feeling of sweet exhaustion . you are changed somehow although this strange experience has nothing to do with your real life tomorrow morning!…Collapse

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I loved Red Dragon. I liked the dark atmosphere, Norton waws really good, the opening scenes with Lecter before he got caught were excellent, and a great introduction to the whole story. Ralph Fiennes was excellent, in my opinion he deserved an oscar nomination for his portrayal of the 'Tooth Fairy'. And I think this is a point where Red Dragon is superior to The Silence of the Lambs. The real villain isn't overshadowed by Lecter. Lecter is still active, and in this movie (not as much as in the Silence, of course) but the otehr villain is great too. Buffalo Bill never really impressed me. The twist is great, towards the end, this is really a really enjoyable movie, the music was fitting as well. The performances are all excellent. 9/10…Expand

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8

Riren

Feb 5, 2007

When you're in Hannibal Lecter's universe, it's sometimes too easy to think all the dark atmosphere comes easy. Red Dragon actually works very hard and does the best job at the true uncomfortable yet tantalizing feel in a 'Lecter' flick since Silence of the Lambs. When you're in Hannibal Lecter's universe, it's sometimes too easy to think all the dark atmosphere comes easy. Red Dragon actually works very hard and does the best job at the true uncomfortable yet tantalizing feel in a 'Lecter' flick since Silence of the Lambs. While a few moments are almost cartoonishly out of place, and a few plot threads only make true sense if you read the book (the Toothy Fairy killer's psychosis began when he was adopted by a violent old woman who so traumatized him that he represses almost everything and needs identities to deal with his feelings), it's quite a good movie. Edward Norton carries the helm so that we don't miss Anthony Hopkins too much, and Hopkins does appear often enough to satiate us, though thankfully not too much to completely steal this movie from the real killer like he did in Silence of the Lambs. Hopkins is who we came to the theatre to see, after all.…Expand

Let's be honest, it didn't look very promising, did it? The auteur behind The Family Man and Rush Hour 2 tackling the movie's favourite cannibal with the residue of the dreary Hannibal still ripe in the memory. But Brett Ratner's adaptation of Thomas Harris' 1981 prequel to The Silence OfLet's be honest, it didn't look very promising, did it? The auteur behind The Family Man and Rush Hour 2 tackling the movie's favourite cannibal with the residue of the dreary Hannibal still ripe in the memory. But Brett Ratner's adaptation of Thomas Harris' 1981 prequel to The Silence Of The Lambs (already adapted by Michael Mann as Manhunter) delivers the goods with minimum fuss.

As if to atone for Ridley Scott's uninspired instalment, Red Dragon feels like a concerted effort to get back to the glory days of Silence and, to a large extent and against all the odds, Ratner pulls it off. It may not have Manhunter's sense of style or interesting contours, but Red Dragon surpasses Mann's movie in its dogmatic desire to entertain.

Putting the cult of Lecter aside for a moment, Red Dragon works as a cracking detective story. Going the Christopher Columbus/Harry Potter route, Ratner, in tandem with Silence screenwriter Tally, has been remarkably faithful to Harris' tautly constructed mystery. He offers a well-tooled, workmanlike compendium of the book's greatest hits - the great scene in which Lecter's cell is searched for clues as to how he is contacting Dolarhyde, the horrific burning wheelchair set-piece - that is the cinematic equivalent of a page-turner.

Where Ratner does deviate from the novel, it pays dividends: a pre-credits opener that pitches Lecter and Graham against each other, first mentally, then physically, is a fantastic curtain-raiser, satisfying our immediate appetite to see the good Doctor while setting up the Lecter-Graham mind-games to come.

If not quite as **** as Tom Noonan's incarnation from Manhunter, he also finds a real shift of gear in his tentative, affecting relationship with Reba (Watson, once again putting in good work), the blind woman who offers the killer a redemptive state of grace.

What ultimately stops Red Dragon from being truly great rather than merely good is the bog-standard quality in Ratner's direction. Everything is crisp, everything is proficient but nowhere does he generate the foreboding atmosphere or memorable image that really hits home: visually, the movie is a sitcom version of Silence, all flat lighting and bland set-ups, the infamous corridor approaching Lecter's cell having none of its previous power.

Indeed, the movie doesn't really deliver any real scares and nail-gnawing tension until a last reel denouement. But when the shocks do come, they work a treat.

Not as good as The Silence Of The Lambs, but definitely besting the risible Hannibal, Red Dragon is a thoroughly entertaining, efficiently mounted thriller. If this is the last of the cannibal capers - and the sense of familiarity suggests that it should be, it's a good one to go out on.…Expand

Psychological thrillers have been redefined in cinema ever since Dr. Hannibal Lecter told Clarice Sterling that he ate a liver with fava beans and a nice chianti. Sounds like a healthy combination, right? But the prequel to the 1991 film never tells us that story, instead it follows retiredPsychological thrillers have been redefined in cinema ever since Dr. Hannibal Lecter told Clarice Sterling that he ate a liver with fava beans and a nice chianti. Sounds like a healthy combination, right? But the prequel to the 1991 film never tells us that story, instead it follows retired FBI investigator Will Graham (Norton) as he seeks for help to Lecter (Hopkins) in tracking a serial killer known as the "Tooth Fairy".

Putting aside Lecter for a moment, Red Dragon works as a cracking detective story that can stand alone without the fearsome yet beloved Hopkins character. Norton also has the capability to stand for his presence in clashing with Dr. Lecter and the Tooth Fairy (Fiennes). Additionally, the disturbing images and cynical irony of the Tooth Fairy elevates the whole tone of the movie as both petrifying and satanic.

The acting are top notched with a supporting cast of Philip Seymour-Hoffman, Emily Watson and Harvey Keitel. There are spaces for improvement in the script and the scenes become repetitive in some parts and familiar as it takes its benefit from its remake, "Manhunter" and prequel, "The Silence of the Lambs".

VERDICT: Not as great as The Silence of the Lambs, due to script issues, but totally dark twisted.…Expand

Not a classic, but a good and scary movie with interesting characters and detective work. You will enjoy the movie more if you consider Hannibal's presence as a plus and not as a requirement that everything in the film be compared to Silence of the Lambs. Hopkins is fascinating as expected,Not a classic, but a good and scary movie with interesting characters and detective work. You will enjoy the movie more if you consider Hannibal's presence as a plus and not as a requirement that everything in the film be compared to Silence of the Lambs. Hopkins is fascinating as expected, but I found the best scenes to belong to Fiennes and Watson. Their freakish chemistry is more horrifying than any of the movie's killings.…Expand